Get Off the Couch: Guitarists coming, but first breakfast

Get Off the Couch: Guitarists coming, but first breakfast

LISA DENTON: Barry, one of my favorite days of the year is coming up. Tuesday is Free Pancake Day at IHOP. You'll get three free pancakes, otherwise known as a short stack, which I just like saying. In return, they'd like for diners to make a donation to the local Children's Miracle Network Hospital, which is T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital at Erlanger.

BARRY COURTER: I suppose you'll hop on over for that. Hard to pass up free griddlecakes, especially for a great cause.

One of the things I'm hoping people realize is happening this week is that Jesse Cook will be part of the Patten Performances. If you like guitar players and want to see a master playing a style of music we don't hear around here too often, his show, also on Tuesday, will do the trick.

He will be playing flamenco rumba guitar music. That's not music about pink birds, and it's not the kind the guys with big hats play at your table at some Mexican restaurants. It's the kind that makes you think 18 guys are playing at once.

LISA: Just for some pop-culture context, Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy were dancing to flamenco music on "Dancing With the Stars: All Stars" last season when Chmerkovskiy stripped down to his briefs. A very memorable episode, indeed.

BARRY: I'm surprised you noticed there was music playing, much less the type.

LISA: Cook is a master of flamenco music, but his latest work is a departure. For "The Blue Guitar Sessions," he said he was inspired in part by endless listens to Adele's "21." I imagine the audience will hear some of that work as well.

BARRY: That's interesting isn't it, since it's her voice and the pain and anger in her lyrics that made that CD such a monster seller for the last two years.

Tuesday must be guitar night because also that evening the California Guitar Trio is at Barking Legs. They do everything from Dick Dale-type surf stuff to classical songs you'll know done a new way to some originals.

LISA: You can't go wrong with either show. And you certainly can't go wrong with pancakes.

Get event updates every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.